AI Masterclass: Make Money using AI as a Designer (2023) | Midjourney newmarwat

AI Masterclass: Make Money using AI as a Designer (2023) | Midjourney

Alright, folks, welcome to segment 2. In segment 1, we discussed ChatGPT, understanding how text is generated and how ideas are created. Now, we will delve into AI images, AI visuals, and particularly the tool called Midjourney. This will be a quick 25-30 minute session, after which we'll break for high tea, followed by our UX design session.

So, let's revisit our survey. I asked everyone in the survey who among you has used Midjourney? Many people have not used Midjourney yet, indicating there might be a learning curve. Today, I won't be teaching you how to use Midjourney, but I'll be showing you the possibilities. Once you grasp these possibilities and the basics, you can refer to "howtoprompt" to quickly learn the essentials. Teaching the tool itself would be a waste of time.

Now, let's outline the agenda for segment number 2. First, we'll dive straight into some pro techniques for getting the best images using a tool like Midjourney. Once you understand these pro techniques, the basics will become much easier. It's worth noting that Midjourney prompting is not as complicated as ChatGPT prompting; it's more straightforward, creative, and easier to understand.

Next, we'll explore how you can leverage AI to increase your income. With all these tools at your disposal, how can you become a valuable asset in the job market?

Finally, we'll reserve some time for questions. Feel free to jot down your questions throughout the session.

Let's kick off with module number 1: Pro techniques for creating images with Midjourney. But before that, let's quickly review some basics for those who have never used Midjourney.

Midjourney is a tool that you download to your desktop or phone. The application is called Discord. Midjourney doesn't have its own standalone app; you download Discord and then create a Midjourney account on Midjourney.com. However, please note that Midjourney is not free; it costs around $1300-1500 per month. Once you have your paid plan, you'll need to install Midjourney in your Discord client. Instructions for this can be found in a YouTube video I've provided.

In Midjourney, similar to ChatGPT, your prompt is crucial. It's essential to understand that when I say Midjourney creates AI images, it's not like a photo editing tool like Photoshop where you can extensively edit images or create highly detailed graphics. Midjourney is more like an enhanced version of Google Images. You input text, and it generates images based on that text. You can use these generated images for inspiration or ideas. It won't replace the creative process but can certainly assist in sparking ideas.

Midjourney is particularly useful for generating visual inspiration for social media content, YouTube thumbnails, decks, graphics, and even physical product design. It's not as effective for UI design, but it excels in providing basic visual inspiration. Additionally, Midjourney can create AI avatars and perform face swapping, as seen on Instagram.

Now, let's address the problem Midjourney aims to solve. When you search for specific images on the internet, you often can't find exactly what you envision. Google Images may provide something close, but not the exact match. Midjourney helps bridge this gap. For example, if you need an image of a "Batman suit X-ray" for a YouTube video, a generic Google Images search may yield disappointing results. However, Midjourney, with the right prompt, can generate highly relevant and creative images, saving you time and effort.

But Midjourney doesn't just make things look pretty; it can also help you envision the future. Let me share an example. Suppose you receive a proposal from the government to design an innovative e-rickshaw for Indian streets. This is a unique and non-existent concept. By providing a simple prompt like "minimal futuristic design for electronic rickshaw for Indian streets," Midjourney can generate a variety of images, each with its distinct interpretation. Some of these images may reveal new features, like a self-driving e-rickshaw with a control panel for passengers, sparking creative ideas for your project.

Midjourney's structure for prompts is relatively straightforward. After installing Discord and Midjourney, you begin your prompt with "/imagine." Then, you describe your scene, specify the style (e.g., photographic, 3D render), and, if needed, add parameters for resolution or specific styles. For instance, if you want a wide image, you can use "--ar 16:9" to set the aspect ratio.

By changing the style while keeping the scene description the same, you can see how dramatically different the generated images can be. Whether it's a North Indian wedding dance performance in a photographic style, a science fiction style, or even a 3D render with a Pixar animation touch, the variety of results is impressive.

This versatility has the potential to benefit filmmakers, mood board creators, and storyboard makers by providing a starting point for their projects. It's crucial to remember that AI, like Midjourney, can assist but not replace the creative process.

Before we move on, I'd like to introduce you to another tool called Ideogram, which has the unique ability to generate text in addition to visuals. This could become a significant competitor to Midjourney, and it's worth keeping an eye on its development.

Now, let's briefly highlight an essential lesson from David, the creator of Midjourney. David was also behind Leap Motion, a groundbreaking product that allowed hand gestures to control a computer. However, despite its innovative nature, Leap Motion ultimately failed because it couldn't offer an exponentially better experience than the traditional keyboard and mouse. Customers tend to irrationally value old methods, and startups must provide significantly superior experiences to disrupt established norms.

In contrast, Uber succeeded because it offered a vastly improved experience compared to traditional taxi services. The key takeaway here is that to succeed, new products must offer a substantially better user experience to entice customers to adopt them.

To wrap up this segment, I hope you now have a better understanding of Midjourney, its capabilities, and how to create effective prompts. We'll continue exploring AI visuals and their applications in the next part of our session.

"A significant amount of money is spent on physical products, and even the final outcomes can be quite expensive. When David opened Midjourney this time, he chose to use Discord as the platform. Discord is a free platform, and David decided not to create a website to cut costs. There would be no promotion, marketing, or sales team involved.

David's plan was to create a product that would outperform existing alternatives by not just one or two times, but potentially ten times better. Today, we're discussing Midjourney, but the story leading up to Midjourney is also fascinating. It didn't come out of thin air; David had to go through the failure of Leap Motion to arrive at this idea.

I encourage you to learn more about David's journey. The link to download this presentation will be in the description, but there's a password for it. Please make sure to copy this password before downloading the presentation. Returning to the syllabus, there's one parameter I'd like to share, which is Aspect Ratio.

Let me demonstrate it. To specify the aspect ratio, you use '--ar' followed by a number. In this number, the first digit represents width, and the second digit represents height. For example, '16:9' creates a wider image.

If you include a prompt, be sure to add '--ar 16:9' at the end to produce wide-format pictures. It's not very complicated, so we can move on to the next topic. There's a Midjourney documentation website that provides a parameter list. Just like I explained Aspect Ratio, you can find information on all these parameters for free in the Midjourney documentation.

I came across a meme that humorously highlights AI replacing designers' jobs. However, in reality, Midjourney may not always produce the results as portrayed in the market. Many brands wonder if they can use Midjourney renders for print, such as banners or flyers, but it's not always suitable. Copyright rules and resolution issues can arise. It's better to use Midjourney for inspiration but not for direct commercial use.

Now, there's an interesting feature within Midjourney where you can specify rendering engines. What does this mean? These are various rendering engines, and we've covered them in previous videos. By using these rendering engines, you can enhance the output. For example, specifying 'Pixar' and '16K' can transform a scene description into something resembling a Pixar movie poster.

Similarly, using 'vector graphics' in the prompt can create solid vector illustrations. You can then take these illustrations, use a tool like Vectorizer, and convert them into editable CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator files, which can be a valuable asset for vector artists.

In creating a combination, we've discussed why you should input prompts into Midjourney instead of just training ChatGPT. By using ChatGPT to generate prompts for Midjourney, you can achieve remarkable results. These prompts lead to ultra-realistic images, and ChatGPT can handle the technical details like camera settings and scene descriptions.

I've also explored rendering Indian aesthetics and interiors using ChatGPT-generated prompts for Midjourney. The quality of the output depends on your vocabulary and how you structure your prompts. If you find it challenging to craft prompts, you can train ChatGPT to assist you in generating them.

Another intriguing feature is the ability to reverse engineer Midjourney images. You can input an image and use the '/describe' command to extract the prompt used to generate it. This provides full transparency and allows you to understand how others create their Midjourney images.

In summary of Module 1, AI is not just about creating visually appealing content but also about peering into the future. It's essential to understand that AI-generated content isn't always suitable for commercial use or print. It's best used for inspiration. The quality of your output depends on how well you structure your prompts, and if you're unsure, you can train ChatGPT to help.

Your call to action from this module is to explore prompts for creating things that don't yet exist. Don't limit Midjourney to prettifying existing objects; see if you can use it to bring new ideas to life. Additionally, consider building a mood board of Midjourney images for inspiration in your creative projects. Lastly, set up an agent for generating Midjourney prompts with ChatGPT's assistance.

Moving on to Module 2, let's explore who has the most leverage in today's job market and how they're making more money. To understand this, let's delve into a bit of history. Did you know that it took around 500-600 years for humanity to transition from using stones to using axes? The process of creating an axe was a significant advancement, and it started with the simple act of tying a stone to a stick.

This transition from stones to axes was a pivotal moment in history, and it's similar to what's happening today but in a more modern context. For example, the shift from traditional art tools like brushes and paper to digital tools like Procreate on an iPad is a contemporary version of this transformation.

This evolution doesn't mean that new technology replaces humans entirely; rather, it enhances our capabilities. Axe didn't replace stones and sticks; it expanded our toolset. Similarly, AI, particularly Generative AI, is enhancing our creative capabilities. It aims to replicate the human brain's functions, and it uses neural networks, which are essentially artificial versions of the human brain's neurons.

Our brains have fewer data but more connections, making them incredibly complex. AI, on the other hand, has more data but fewer connections. The key to success is combining the connections in our brains with the data in AI. This intersection of creativity and technology is where opportunities lie.

In creative professions, such as design and marketing, a creative brief is essential before starting any project. Similarly, your prompts in Midjourney serve as creative briefs for the AI. Structuring your prompts logically is crucial, just like creating a well-organized creative brief.

To become valuable in today's job market, you need to bridge the gap between creativity and technology. Big brands like Coca-Cola, Nestle, Marvel, Nike, and Heinz are already using AI and prompt engineering to save time and personalize customer experiences.

In conclusion, becoming valuable in the job market is achievable by understanding the intersection of creativity and technology, utilizing AI effectively, and continually expanding your skill set. This is an exciting time where technology and human creativity can merge to achieve remarkable results."